Part 19 (2/2)
”You always reh, and her counsels”
”Do you see her often? I hear of her as one of the Lord's most precious vessels”
”I would have done more ere now than see her,” said he with a blush, ”had she allowed me: but she lives only for the memory of her husband and the fame of her noble sons”
As he spoke the door opened, and in walked, wrapped in his rough sea-gown, none other than one of those said noble sons
Adrian turned pale
”As you hither? how fares my brother? Where is the shi+p?”
”Your brother is well, Mr Gilbert The Golden Hind is gone on to Darto north to Bideford, ere I went to London I called at Drake's just now, but he ay”
”The Golden Hind? What brings her home so soon?”
”Yet welcoreat surprise, though Captain John did not look for you till next year”
A!” cried Adrian ”Speak!”
Amyas tried, but could not
”Will you drive a man mad, sir? Has the adventure failed? You said my brother ell”
”He is well”
”Then what-- Why do you look atup, Adrian rushed forward, and held the candle to Amyas's face
Amyas's lip quivered, as he laid his hand on Adrian's shoulder
”Your great and glorious brother, sir, is better bestowed than in settling Newfoundland”
”Dead?” shrieked Adrian
”He is with the God whom he served!”
”He was alith Him, like Enoch: parable me no parables, if you love me, sir!”
”And, like Enoch, he was not; for God took him”
Adrian clasped his hands over his forehead, and leaned against the table
”Go on, sir, go on God will give radually Aic story, which Mr Hayes has long ago told far too well to allow a second edition of it from me: of the unruliness of the ht up at hap-hazard; of conspiracies to carry off the shi+ps, plunder of fishi+ng vessels, desertions eneral to the lazy and fearful to return horoan-- ”Froainst him? Deserted from him? Dotards, buzzards! Where would they have found such another leader?”
”Your illustrious brother, sir,” said Areat philosopher, but not so eneral”
”General, sir? Where was braver eneral, sir If Cortez had been brave and no more, Mexico would have been Mexico still The truth is, sir, Cortez, like reat brother did not”
Aht Gilbert was a lect, but as too kindly to punish it; he was one who could forested plans, but who could not stoop to that hail-felloell- his subordinates which has been the talisreat captains
Then A sail from St John's to discover the southward coast; Sir Huo in the little Squirrel of only ten tons, and ”overcharged with nettings, fights, and small ordnance,” not only because she was more fit to exaainst hi the men, that he was afraid of the sea
After that, woe on woe; how, seven days after they left Cape Raz, their largest shi+p, the Delight, after she had ”ht” (I quote Hayes), ”like the swan that singeth before her death, continued in sounding of tru of the comets and hautboys, and, in the end of their jollity, left off with the battle and doleful knells,” struck the next day (the Golden Hind and the Squirrel sheering off just in time) upon unknown shoals; where were lost all but fourteen, and a them Frank's philosopher friend, poor Budaeus; and those who escaped, after all horrors of cold and famine, were cast on shore in Newfoundland Hoorn out with hunger and want of clothes, the crews of the two reland on the 31st of August; and on ”that very instant, even in winding about,” beheld close alongside ”a very lion in shape, hair, and color, not swi on the water, with his whole body; who passed along, turning his head to and fro, yawning and gaping wide, with ugly de eyes; and to bid us farewell (coainst the Hind) he sent forth a horrible voice, roaring or bellowing as doth a lion” ”What opinion others had thereof, and chiefly the general himself, I forbear to deliver; but he took it for bonuainst such an enemy, if it were the devil”
”And the devil it was, doubtless,” said Adrian, ”the roaring lion who goes about seeking whoot your brother, at least,” quoth Amyas
”No,” rejoined Mrs Hawkins (smile not, reader, for those were days in which men believed in the devil); ”he roared for joy to think how many poor souls would be left still in heathen darkness by Sir Huht, and send all mariners where he is now!”
Then Amyas told the last scene; hohen they were off the Azores, the stor short and pyramid-wise,” till, on the 9th September, the tiny Squirrel nearly foundered and yet recovered; ”and the general, sitting abaft with a book in his hand, cried out to us in the Hind so oft as we did approach within hearing, 'We are as near heaven by sea as by land,' reiterating the sa a soldier resolute in Jesus Christ, as I can testify he was
”The sa after, the frigate (the Squirrel) being ahead of us in the Golden Hind, suddenly her lights were out; and withal our watch cried, the general was cast ahich was true; for in that ate was devoured and sed up of the sea”
And so ended (I have used Hayes' oords) Ah's story
”Oh, lory of his house, the glory of Devon!”
”Ah! ill the queen say?” asked Mrs Hawkins through her tears
”Tell me,” asked Adrian, ”had he the jewel on when he died?”
”The queen's jewel? He alore that, and his own posy too, 'Mutare vel timere sperno' He wore it; and he lived it”
”Ay,” said Adrian, ”the same to the last!”
”Not quite that,” said Amyas ”He was a meeker man latterly than he used to be As he said himself once, a better refiner than any whom he had on board had followed hiold seven ti done His work in him, took him home at last”
And so the talk ended There was no doubt that the expedition had been an utter failure; Adrian was a ruined man; and Aed leave to retire; he entleman!” said Mrs Hawkins; ”it is little else he has left to collect”
”Or I either,” said A to ask you to lend et h! God forbid that John Hawkins's wife should refuse her last penny to a distressed entleman born But you must eat and drink”